The nature of today’s Lesson almost necessitates reading the first paragraph of Deuteronomy chapter 21. The first nine verses, that is. “If one be found slain in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it, lying in the field, and it be not known who hath slain him: then thy elders and thy judges shall come forth, and they shall measure unto the cities which are round about him that is slain. And it shall be, that the city which is next unto the slain man, even the elders of that city shall take an heifer, which hath not been wrought with, and which hath not drawn in the yoke; and the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto a rough valley, which is neither eared nor sown, and shall strike off the heifer’s neck there in the valley. And the priests the sons of Levi shall come near … and all the elders of that city, that are next unto the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the valley: and they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it. Be merciful, O LORD, unto thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and lay not innocent blood unto thy people of Israel’s charge. And the blood shall be forgiven them. So shalt thou put away the guilt of innocent blood from among you, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the LORD.” Deuteronomy 21:1-9

The Text implies that God always holds someone guilty for any innocent blood shed in an area. Then to buttress the code, God gives an example of “trying” to absolve that guilt.

In other words, “How to handle an unsolved murder!” Maybe I had better say, “unpunished murder!”

First, from the point where the dead man or woman was found … measure to calculate the nearest city! They (its inhabitants) will be held accountable (to some degree anyway) for the “innocent” blood shed in their vicinity!

That city’s leaders must go to the crime scene and perform a (blood must be shed) God prescribed ritual involving an innocent animal (a heifer in this case). Then (in the presence of God ordained Priests) “wash their hands” over the slain heifer! Thereby indicating the city’s innocence concerning the crime committed near her borders!

Wow!

The city’s elders are to pray to God: “Our hands have NOT shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it. Be merciful, O LORD, unto thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and lay not innocent blood unto thy people of Israel’s charge.” Then, immediately we’re told …  “The blood shall be forgiven them.”

What’s the point here?

Why a Lesson on this so-called archaic Text?

To show God’s concern for the shedding of “innocent blood.”

Human life is that SPECIAL to the Lord God Almighty!

After all, man (woman) … is the very “crown, apex, ultimate” of all God’s Creation!

Amen.

By the way, if all this had to be done when one dead body was found near a city, with the murderer still un-apprehended … WHAT DOES GOD ULTIMATELY PLAN TO DO TO CITIES WHO HARBOR ABORTION CLINICS WHERE DOZENS (OR HUNDREDS, THOUSANDS) OF LITTLE BABIES ARE MURDERED?

Surely, their blood is innocent!

Think about it.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

It’s called the “one-word” telegram!

Written by a godly man near the end of his life, much too weak to travel, in fact.

“What advice would you share with your fellow servants of the Lord?” … he had just been asked.

His immediate (back then telegrams were charged by the number of words they contained, and his organization’s funds were low) response, the summary of a lifetime: “OTHERS!”

I thought of that little story (true, by the way) as I read today’s Bible Text from Deuteronomy chapter 20, verse number 8 to be exact.

Just before the Jewish army engaged an enemy, just before the battle began raging, one of her officers would ask the men, the soldiers: “What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted?”

Wow …”Who’s afraid?”

Here it is, King James Version: “And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, WHAT MAN IS THERE THAT IS FEARFUL AND FAINTHEARTED?”

I personally have never heard of such being asked of a military unit.

Only Israel, only God!

Then this admonition, or is it “permission?”

If you, sir, are that scared … “Go and return unto thy house.”

Wow!

“You’re dismissed!”

That “tactic” would deplete many a battalion these days, in some armies anyway.

Now my question is, “WHY?”

And the Bible immediately supplies the answer.

Get ready … here it comes. And try to see if it might tie into the word “Others!”

“Lest thy brethren’s heart faint as well as thy heart.” (Your fear will “rub off” on other fighters! You’re dangerous to your Unit! Fear can be contagious! Again, “Go home!”)

One truth surely displayed in this Text: A FEW BOLD MEN just might accomplish A WHOLE LOT MORE … than a normal army blended with quitters, worriers, fear gripped draftees!

Wow again!

Influence on … OTHERS!

Paul lived his Christian life focused on the betterment of “others” as well!

And Jesus certainly did!

How about you … and me?

One more time, our verse for today: “And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go and return unto his house, LEST HIS BRETHREN’S HEART FAINT AS WELL AS HIS HEART.” Deuteronomy 20:8

Be careful that you don’t pull someone else “down” today!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

“Practical,” the Book of Deuteronomy is certainly that!

I’ve come to love this Book of the Bible, one of Jesus’ favorites as well! For example, He quoted from Deuteronomy each time (3 of them) that He refuted one of the Devil’s wicked “suggestions.”

A total of 34 chapters, with 959 verses, majestic Deuteronomy is the eighth largest Book in all Scripture.

The practicality of the Book is particularly obvious in chapter 20, today’s Lesson.

“And the (military) officers shall speak unto the people, saying, What man is there that hath BUILT A NEW HOUSE, and hath not dedicated it? let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it. And what man is he that hath PLANTED A VINEYARD, and hath not yet eaten of it? let him also go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man eat of it. And what man is there that hath BETROTHED A WIFE, and hath not taken her? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.” Deuteronomy 20:5-7

Three “types” of potential soldiers can be given exemptions from military service … and the specific conditions are capitalized in the Text above.

Those just setting up homemaking!

Those just beginning their jobs, food producing jobs!

And those just beginning married life!

Seems that in God’s Eyes some things are more important than even fighting for one’s Country!

A place to live.

A place to work.

A wife to love.

Is that not … well, “PRACTICAL?”

Truly Paul was right. God loves things done “decently and in order!” (1st Corinthians 14:40)

Now …

Have YOU let things become more important than your Wife, loving her? (Or your Husband, if you’re a lady?)

Or YOUR occupation, is it still meaningful to you? That value called the old fashioned “work ethic” being critically important in the Mind of the Lord.

Or even your residence, home, is it not being enjoyed to the fullest extent?

I guess today’s word is “PRIORITY.”

And after all these critical things are “in place” … go fight the battles necessary in your life, to be a victorious individual! To the glory of God!

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

I need to hear from someone today. Anyone still out there reading these Lessons? My text number: 770-844-7627.

 

Our verse today is part of the Law God gave Israel through Moses, on Mount Sinai. You might say it’s the very “heart” of the punishment phase of that Law. That is, if a person was tried fairly and found “guilty.”

Everyone has heard these words. “And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.” Deuteronomy 19:21

But this sounds so “harsh,” many would say.

Yet in reality it’s anything but harsh.

It, this simple code of retribution or justice, was MUCH more LENIENT than the laws of existing (heathen) nations of that time, around 1500 years before Christ. Israel’s “neighbors,” so to speak.

In those cultures if  a man (even accidentally) caused a neighbor to lose his “foot” … the angry relatives might cut off BOTH FEET of the perpetrator, even though he did nothing wrong ON PURPOSE. The mishap was not premeditated, in other words.

Or in some cases if a man was careless and caused his coworker to lose a “hand,” that offender might be KILLED in someone’s fit of rage. And the law (for those people) would have “understood” such behavior. Condoned it!

But with our great God of Grace …

NO SUCH OVER-REACTION WAS EVER ALLOWED!

No, just this … “Life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”

Strict?

Certainly!

But not overly so.

Just one eye, not both!

One tooth, not a whole mouthful!

Yes, even in God’s “justice” there is an element of “kindness and understanding!”

Oh, how so very often we “misunderstand” the Word of God.

And the God of the Word!

He is Good!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Jesus, mentioned in Deuteronomy?

Yes, I think so. Really I know so!

“The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a PROPHET from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me (Moses); unto Him ye shall hearken; according to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. And the Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a PROPHET from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will PUT MY WORDS in His mouth; and He shall speak unto them all that I shall command Him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto My words which He shall speak in My name, I will require it of him.” Deuteronomy 18:15-19

A prophet, like unto Moses?

Twice in the above verses, today’s Text, is this statement made.

A Prophet is coming, “like unto Moses!”

But it is said of Moses that God spoke to Him “Face to face!” (Deuteronomy 34:20)

So is this true of Jesus!

Time and time again, it appears.

Here’s one example: “Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name. Then came there A VOICE FROM HEAVEN, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.” John 12:27-28

Wow!

But Moses was “faithful!”

God complementing Moses: “My servant Moses is not so (not like others), but is FAITHFUL in all mine house.” Numbers 12:7 (Also Hebrews 3:5 … “And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant.” What laudation!)

But Jesus is faithful as well, even more so than Moses!

“Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, CHRIST JESUS; Who was FAITHFUL to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.” Hebrews 3:1-2

God also in today’s Text said he would “put His Words” into the mouth of this great (coming) Prophet! And Jesus, when on earth, said: “Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the WORDS that I speak unto you I speak NOT OF MYSELF: but THE FATHER that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.” John 14:10, dynamite!

Yes, Jesus is that Prophet!

Even the people of our Lord’s day, around 30 AD in the Holy Land, thought so! Having seen Jesus enact miracle after miracle they concluded: “Then those men, when they had seen the miracle (feeding the thousands) that Jesus did, said, THIS IS OF A TRUTH THAT PROPHET that should come into the world.” John 6:14

Undoubtedly, Jesus is that Prophet, even greater than Moses!

Blessed be His Name!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

By the way, there’s a warning built into our Text as well. God also says of Jesus: “And it shall come to pass, that WHOSOEVER WILL NOT HEARKEN unto MY WORDS which HE shall speak in my name, I WILL REQUIRE IT of him.”

What could be any more clear?